# hang around

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hang-around
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to stay in a place for a while without a clear reason, often while you are waiting for something to happen.

For teachers: To loiter or remain in a location without a specific purpose or immediate intention to leave. The verb is typically intransitive but can be followed by a locative prepositional phrase.

## Examples

- I usually hang around the library until my next class starts.
- We had to hang around the airport for six hours because our flight was delayed by a storm.
- The security guards were instructed to discourage people from hanging around the entrance to prevent blocking the flow of pedestrian traffic.

## Pitfalls

- Not "We hunged around the mall for hours." but "We hung around the mall for hours." — The past tense of 'hang' is 'hung', not 'hunged'.

## Usage notes

- Often used as an intransitive verb or followed by a place name.
- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'loiter', which carries a legal or negative nuance, whereas 'hang around' is more neutral or casual.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.